I’m of the age where I can’t even think about shoes without hearing the voice of Mars Blackmon saying “It’s Gotta Be The Shoes!”

After the last round of golf I played, my feet were suffering from blisters, and I thought to myself “It’s gotta be the shoes”. So I went shoe shopping at Golfsmith in Novi, Michigan the and tried on about twenty pair of shoes.

The variety of shoes out now truly is bewildering. There had to be a hundred—including of all things—sandals.

I was looking for a pair designed for walking—and that wasn’t over $100. Further, they had to be black or brown. I really don’t like white.

After spending about an hour, I had the choice down to three:

The Callaway Sport Comfort in Black

This is a good looking shoe with athletic shoe comfort. The toe box is plenty and the arch support felt good. It also had a neat feature: under the sole is a removable panel which somehow adjust the inside width of the shoe. I looked at it for quite a while but couldn’t figure out how it worked. But sure as shootin’, when you remove the panel, the shoe feels wider.

My only complaint was that it felt a bit stiff out of the box.

The Nike SP-5 Brown

This Nike shoe is a bit less traditional looking, but I thought it would do. The first thing I noticed is that it runs small. I normally wear a 9 or 9 1/2 wide. I had to go all the way up to a 10 1/2 to get one that would fit. But at that, it fit well. Still, after walking around in the shoe for a while, I got the sense that they would do better as a “cart shoe” than a shoe for someone who walks three rounds a week.

E-Comfort Black/Black Weave

I’ve worn the FootJoy E-Comfort shoes for the last two seasons, and have really liked them. Still, I expected that there would be some new shoes that I liked better.  But I kept returning to them. They are lightweight, flexible, and comfortable. Like a pair of pre-washed jeans, they feel like old friends from the moment I put them on.

So that’s what I bought. A size 9 wide black with black weave Footjoy E Comforts.

Now its off to the club.

I own two pair of NYX Classic Competion Sunglasses and I love them. They’re ultra lightweight and—unlike some other pairs that I own—don’t cause any troublesome distortions. In fact, these are the only pair that I will wear while putting (my other glasses are Nike and Oakley).

Best of all, they have three interchangable lenses. This is particularly useful here in Michigan, where the weather is extremely fickle. You can start a round of golf with a good cloud cover, requiring a light lens, and then end up in blazing sunshine and need a darker set.

I recommend these.

I’m interested in what you have to say. Add your own review by clicking on the comments link below.

I got this email from a reader the other day.

I just discovered your golfblogger site after googling for "cold weather golf apparel". I live in Maryland and the weather is starting to get chilly. I plan on taking your advice on the pants, socks, hat and gloves. But there is still a big piece of the puzzle left before I start playing in the 40's (or maybe 30's): the upper body. What would you recommend for a shirt, a sweater and/or a jacket for the colder temperatures? Obviously there needs to be warmth but not too much restriction of movement. Thanks for your site (and, hopefully, your response).  I'm 45 years old and just getting back into golf after a 5 year layoff.

OK. Here's what I do in the chilly climes of Michigan:

I wear a pair of flannel lined pants from LL Bean. For the top, I wear a Nike ClimaFit Mock Turtle. Over that, a heavy golf shirt. Then, a fleece vest. On the head, a Tilley Winter hat. On the feet, a pair of SmartWool socks.

Generally, that's good for me, even when the temperatures go down to the 40s. If the wind gets up, I might also wear a pair of earmuffs.

Smartwool Socks
Grade: A

From many years of cold weather camping with the Boy Scouts, I learned that keeping your feet comfortable is key to staying comfortable in the winter. Smartwool socks are soft and comfy, while keeping your feet warm and dry. What I really like about these, though is how well they fit. There's an arch brace that keeps the sock from sliding about in your shoe, and tight ribs on the top that keep the sock up against your leg.

Tilley Winter Hat
Grade: A+

I wrote about the Tilley Airflo hat in an earlier post. Cool and stylish, I think it's the perfect hat for summer play.

But it just won't do for cold weather. In the winter, you need to keep your head warm.

Fortunately, Tilley also has a winter hat. Made from soft, comfortable wool, it comes in several tweedy colors -- perfect for the fall or winter.  It's kept my head warm on many winter golf outings.

So why not just wear a stocking cap? They're warm, and they are lots cheaper.

The first answer is style. Stocking caps are ugly.

But that's not enough. The Tilley also has a wide brim that keeps the sun off your face -- you can get melanoma from winter sun just as surely as from summer rays.  The front and back of the brim slope downward to help keep the cold wind out.

Tucked inside the crown are pull down ear flaps and a forehead cover. I find that the ear covers are adequate, but not great emergency ear muffs. I've never actually used the forehead cover, but it comes down out of the front to warm you down to your eyebrows.

There are other nice details. There's a secret pocket in the crown -- just large enough for your id, a couple of credit cards and some money. A tuck-away tether will keep it from blowing away in a strong wind.

The fit of the hat is perfect, thanks to Tilley's precise measuring instructions. The Tilleys are the only hats I've every owned that fit exactly. It sits comfortably on my head -- held on, as Tilley says, by gravity, not by constricting my temples.

Buying a Tilley is an investment, and investments need to be protected. All Tilley hats come with a lifetime guarantee, and a two-year loss replacement program.

Buy this hat. You won't regret it.

And no, I don't get paid by Tilley. But if they wanted to send me a hat for the nice reviews, I wouldn't turn them down.